House net neutrality bill could be introduced soon

The House Energy and Commerce Committee may introduce a net neutrality bill sometime this week sources told CongressDaily's blog Tech Daily Dose.

The bill would give the Federal Communications Commission authority for two years to enforce its four open Internet principles, the Washington Post reported. Still, controversial issues not addressed in the bill, such as nondiscrimination language and wireless providers, could prevent the bill from moving forward.

Under the four open Internet principles, as summarized by FCC, "network operators can't prevent users from accessing the lawful Internet content, applications and services of their choice, nor can they prohibit users from attaching nonharmful devices to the network."

But without addressing the area of nondiscrimination, a fifth principle embraced by FCC, the thorny net neutrality issue of paid prioritization, remains unsolved. Whether network operators should be able to charge content providers to fast-track their material over the net has pit Internet service providers against public interest groups such as Free Press and Public Knowledge.

According to one industry observer, the House is hoping to clear the bill before it breaks for recess and advance a bill through the Senate during a lame duck session. How it fares will be determined, in part, by the reaction of public interest groups, one source familiar with the situation said.

Other stakeholders say the deal is more fluid. Another industry observer described the bill as a band-aid and "nothing that will put the issue to bed."